Rolex blings out its utilitarian Oyster Perpetual Collection
ROLEX is unveiling the latest lines in its Oyster Perpetual Collection, lending looks of luxury to the utilitarian watches, originally developed for divers.
First up is the Oyster Perpetual Yachtmaster 40, boasting of diamonds and pink, light blue, purple and dark blue sapphires along its bezel. The watch is cast from 18-karat white gold, and features a case back edged with fine fluting, hermetically screwed down with a special tool that allows only Rolex watchmakers to access the movement. The Triplock winding crown, fitted with a triple waterproofness system and protected by an integral crown guard, screws down securely against the case. The crystal, which is fitted with a Cyclops lens at 3 o’clock for easy reading of the date, is made of virtually scratchproof sapphire and benefits from an anti-reflective coating. The waterproof Oyster case provides optimum protection for the watch’s movement. The new version of the Yacht-Master 40 is equipped with Calibre 3235 watch movement, with a self-winding module via a Perpetual rotor. Thanks to its barrel architecture and the escapement’s superior efficiency, the power reserve of Calibre 3235 extends to approximately 70 hours.
Then there is the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 40 which is made of 950 platinum, featuring an ice-blue dial and a fluted bezel. The 40 mm Oyster case of the new Day-Date 40 is guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 100 meters (330 feet). Its middle case is crafted from a solid block of 950 platinum. The case back, edged with fine fluting, is hermetically screwed down again with a special tool that allows only Rolex watchmakers to access the movement. The Twinlock winding crown, fitted with a double waterproof system, screws down securely against the case. The crystal, which is fitted with a Cyclops lens at 3 o’clock for easy reading of the date, is made of virtually scratchproof sapphire and benefits from an anti-reflective coating.
The waterproof Oyster case provides optimum protection for the watch’s movement. This runs on the Calibre 3255 watch movement which incorporates the patented Chronergy escapement, which combines high energy efficiency with great dependability. Made of nickel-phosphorus, it is also insensitive to magnetic fields. The movement is fitted with an optimized blue Parachrom hairspring, manufactured by Rolex in a paramagnetic alloy that makes it up to 10 times more precise than a traditional hairspring in case of shocks. The Parachrom hairspring is equipped with a Rolex overcoil, ensuring the calibre’s regularity in any position. The oscillator is fitted on the Rolex-designed, patented high-performance Paraflex shock absorbers, increasing the movement’s shock resistance. The power reserve of Calibre 3255 extends to approximately 70 hours.
Finally, we have the Oyster Perpetual Air-King, which takes the watch from the seas to the skies. Several pilots set records in the golden age of aviation in the 1930s while wearing an Oyster. The 40 mm Oyster case of the new-generation Air-King is guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 100 meters (330 feet). Its middle case is crafted from a solid block of Oystersteel, a particularly corrosion-resistant alloy. The new-generation Air-King is equipped with a Calibre 3230 movement, also with a power reserve of about 70 hours. — JL Garcia